Three Sisters of Nauset (Twin Lights)
Why it's listed
Two small wooden lighthouse towers on a wooded lot off Cable Road in Eastham, near Coast Guard Beach, are what remain of the Three Sisters of Nauset, later called the Twin Lights. Built in 1892, they are two-story cylindrical, shingled wood-frame towers with lapstrake construction. They were made portable because the Nauset bluffs kept shifting, and they replaced three brick towers from 1838 that eventually washed onto the beach. In 1911 two of the three towers were sold, moved, and used as cottages. In 1920 the Cummings family relocated them and joined them with a cottage, which the National Park Service later demolished after buying the property in 1965. The lens rooms are gone, and the platforms now serve as roofs. The towers are valued for their setting, materials, and workmanship, and as the only example of a triple light, together with the Beacon. That arrangement was an early way to tell nearby lights apart, later made obsolete by revolving mechanisms.
Significance in brief: The towers are significant for their association with the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts. Built in 1892 as part of a trio of portable wooden towers replacing 1838 brick towers, they are described as the only example of a triple light, along with the Beacon. They illustrate an early, simple way of distinguishing nearby lights before one tower could hold three signals.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87001502, listed June 15, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off Cable Rd., Eastham |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | June 15, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001502 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unmanned/inactive and somewhat deteriorated, with the lens rooms missing. The National Park Service demolished the connecting cottage and plans to move and restore the towers near their original site. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.84512, -69.95946 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87001502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.